Meals Kids Love: Abby Smith from Sew Much Ado.

Is it Friday already?  This week has really flown by.  This month will be over before we know it, and I'm so glad to have some new recipes in my recipe binder from this series!  Aren't you?

I'm so happy to have Abby Smith as our guest for Meals Kids Love today.  Abby is the super cute, super creative woman behind the blog Sew Much Ado.  Many a week I have linked up with her We Did It Wednesday posts, which have grown extremely popular.  This past Wednesday over 300 people linked up to share what they had made last week!  I have not had the pleasure of meeting Abby in person (yet), but we have gotten to know each other a bit through our blogs and email, and I have to say that Abby perpetuates the notion that craft bloggers are just about some of the sweetest people in blog land!  Please make sure you visit her at Sew Much Ado, after you see what she's sharing with us today.  

Thanks, Jenny, for asking me to be a part of this series! I have to admit that the first recipe I was planning to use for this post didn't go as planned -- my kids wouldn't touch it!  Go figure :). I guess that proves why we all need a series like this! Luckily my next attempt was much more successful, and I hope it is for you too!

I don't know about you, but I love eating salads as a meal. My little boys, on the other hand, aren't so crazy about them. I've been on the search for a salad that would please my husband, myself, and our 3 and 1 year olds, and finally found it! My sister recently directed me to this recipe that she found at Our Best Bites and my family is hooked -- hopefully your's will be too!

My favorite part about this recipe is that it's two meals in one.
The first night I make the chicken and serve it with potatoes or brown rice and vegetables, and the second night it's thrown into a delicious salad that'll be loved by both young and old (not that I'm old or anything... of course not)! The honey adds just enough sweetness to make your kids want to eat all the healthy ingredients without putting up a fight. The recipe calls for 8 chicken breasts, so for an average family of 4 it should be perfect for two meals.

Spicy Honey Chicken (recipe from Our Best Bites)

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (Our Best Bites swears that thighs are better for this recipe but I like to stick with breasts), about 2lbs

2 t vegetable oil

Rub:

2 t granulated garlic

2 t chili powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t coriander

1 t kosher salt

1 t cumin

1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze:

1/2 C Honey

1T Cider Vinegar

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling. Drizzle reserved glaze on top.

Salad option:

1-2 heads Romaine or Red Leaf Lettuce

2 ripe but firm mangoes, chilled

2-3 ripe but firm avocados

optional: thinly sliced red onions (you may want to leave the onions out of your kids' salads)

While chicken is grilling, wash lettuce and divide among serving plates. Slice avocados, onions, and mangoes and place them on top of the lettuce. When chicken is finished, let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing to preserve the juices. Then slice it up and divide among the salads.

Drench it all in the Honey-Citrus Vinaigrette:


Honey-Citrus Vinaigrette:

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 T grated onion

1/3 C fresh orange juice

3T fresh lime juice

2T honey

3/4 t cumin

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ground black pepper

1/2 C vegetable oil

Place all ingredients in a tightly sealed jar and shake vigorously.

Enjoy watching your kids happily eating a salad!

Does that little guy look happy, or what?  Thank you so much, Abby!  This looks absolutely delicious!

Oh, before I forget... I am over at Some Girl's Website today, with more thoughts on the Gospel of Mark.  Hop on over if you're interested! I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!